Hilton Liverpool City Centre

In a sleek modern building opposite the city’s iconic, UNESCO-listed former docks, the Hilton Liverpool City Centre is a reliable upmarket hotel attracting families, business travellers and overseas visitors reassured by the globally recognised brand.

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Location

9/10

Beside Liverpool One bus station and a 15-minute walk from Liverpool Lime Street mainline train station, the Hilton Liverpool City Centre is brilliantly situated for both shopping (you’re on the edge of the Liverpool One shopping centre) and sightseeing. The Tate Liverpool at the Albert Dock is less than five minutes’ walk away and the Museum of Liverpool less than eight minutes.

Style & character

7/10

An airy open-plan lobby, bar and restaurant with a sweeping fairylit staircase set the tone for a hotel characterised by inoffensive if unmemorable contemporary décor.

Although only seven storeys high, the Hilton Liverpool City Centre has great views from its guestrooms, especially those on higher floors. It’s a shame the restaurant doesn’t profit from these views, and that the bar is dominated by a massive wall-mounted TV screen.

Service & facilities

8/10

There’s a restaurant and a lobby bar, the latter hosting live music and DJ sets at the weekend. There’s also 24-hour room service, and, for those staying on the sixth and seventh floors, an Executive Lounge with complimentary breakfast, daytime refreshments and evening drinks and nibbles.

The hotel also has a business centre, 11 function rooms, a (windowless) gym, and a laundry service. Discount vouchers (£11/night) are available for a nearby car park, with valet parking available (£45 plus parking charge). Wi-Fi (patchy) is free in public areas.

Staff are a credit to the hotel, going out of their way to welcome guests and dispense advice, whether it be about local amenities or menu recommendations.

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Rooms

7/10

The 215 rooms occupy floors two to seven, and comprise twins, king doubles, and suites with separate living areas. The décor is blandly contemporary: a neutral palette of mainly creams, beiges and browns.

Rooms have floor-to ceiling windows and views of either Albert Dock and the Liverpool 360° Big Wheel (as well as the neighbouring bus station), or over Chavasse Park towards the shops of Liverpool One. All have drinks trays, minibars and plentiful, fairly plush Peter Thomas Roth toiletries. Deluxe rooms add complimentary mineral water and bathrobes.

Suites and Executive rooms afford access to the Executive Lounge.

Food & drink

8/10

The Exchange restaurant feels a bit impersonal in its setting adjoining the open-plan ground-floor lobby and bar, and the lighting is so low that the menus are fitted with reading lights (no good for lone diners wishing to read). Another bugbear can be a number of dishes falling off the menu due to ingredients running out.

But the food is generally good – and in some cases, very good. A starter of salt-and pepper crispy squid (£6) is let down by an indifferent spicy garlic dipping sauce, but lamb loin ‘in madras’ with Bombay potatoes and yoghurt dressing (£16.50) is an inventive riff on the traditonal curry. And the orange bread and butter pudding with chocolate ice cream (£5.50) is highly recommended.

Pima Bar serves light meals and plentiful cocktails. There is an outdoor terrace for the warmer months. A classic British afternoon tea is served in a section of The Exchange curtained off to form the ‘Cinema Supper Club’, where silent black-and-white movies play on a giant screen.

Breakfast is an excellent hot and cold buffet including green juice, smoothies, Bircher muesli, full English items, and eggs cooked to order. Room service is available round-the-clock, with a more limited selection between 11pm and 11am.

Value for money

7/10

Double rooms from £92 room-only in low season, and from £219 in high. Bed and breakfast rates are available; otherwise breakfast costs £17.95 per person. Wi-Fi is £15 a day (free for HHonors members).

Access for guests with disabilities?

All areas of the hotel are accessible, and some of the standard twins and coubles are designed for those with wheelchairs.

Family-friendly?

All rooms can accommodate a cot or rollaway bed, or there are interconnecting rooms. The restaurant has a children’s menu, and under-sixes eat for free.